Giovanna Rigato, a former contestant on the reality show Big Brother, is facing trial in Italy on charges of attempted extortion related to the late former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and allegations stemming from the so-called “bunga-bunga” parties held at his villa near Milan. The trial, which began in 2021, centers on accusations that Rigato sought large sums of money in exchange for her silence about the events that took place at these gatherings.
According to testimony presented in court, including from a property developer who worked for Berlusconi, Rigato became agitated during a 2016 confrontation with the then 79-year-old Berlusconi, demanding substantial financial payments. Prosecutors allege she initially requested €50,000 and later increased the demand to €1 million. They have called for a prison sentence of three and a half years along with a fine of €1,300. Rigato denies the extortion charges and says she was instead seeking compensation for damage to her reputation.
Prosecutor Alessio Rinaldi, speaking in Monza, characterized a change in Rigato’s relationship with Berlusconi starting in 2016. He stated that what had once been voluntary financial support from Berlusconi “became threatening.” Rigato moved to Milan from Treviso in 2002 and worked as a dancer for television programs produced by Mediaset, the media company controlled by Berlusconi.
The case is part of a wider scandal involving Berlusconi, who died in 2023, related to allegations of sex parties where prostitutes were allegedly paid for sex. Berlusconi was previously accused of paying for sex with Karima El Mahroug, a Moroccan-born belly dancer known as "Ruby," who was underage at the time. He was also charged with bribing witnesses to conceal the true nature of the parties but was ultimately acquitted.
Rigato has maintained that her actions were motivated by a desire to seek financial redress for harm caused by the fallout from the Mahroug case, which implicated her indirectly. She has faced charges herself for perjury and corruption linked to the scandal.
A verdict in the ongoing trial is expected on November 18. The outcome will further clarify the extent of her alleged involvement in efforts to extract money from Berlusconi’s estate following the exposure of his private gatherings.